Dublin Expression

There was a while there, after the realisation that Recession 2.0 meant something far worse than the return of Bosco and long-ball football, when it seemed the ubiquitous drinks-sponsored gig was about to become a thing of the past. Lately it looks as if the booze-makers are back on board and are once again willing to stick some cash in someone’s back pocket in exchange for big fat logos and ominous hoods over the taps of their competitors. Heineken have been better than most at this in Ireland. Yes, they sponsor the brainless orgy that is Oxegen but they also do those Green Spheres gigs for free. The list of acts they’ve gotten for those is diverse (patchy) and the idea is great. Some of the double/triple-headers they’ve put on around the country have been outstanding. Take for example the upcoming Carlow gig featuring Digitalism, Marina & The Diamonds and Miike Snow. That’s good value for bus fare to an otherwise pointless town.

Their new baby is an interesting series of Expression gigs around the country featuring music and UV art that’s so cutting edge you could get a nasty paper-cut from it and have to get those Winnie The Pooh plasters from Lidl to stop it bleeding. The gigs in Dublin, Cork & Galway will have a team of artists, illustraors and other messers wrecking the gaff with UV nonsense “in celebration of the Heineken bottle” (?). The Dublin event – in Tripod tomorrow night – features work by a couple of Irish artists you might be familiar with, such as Chris Judge (pictured above) and BrenB, along with international scrawlers brought in for the occassion. Even more exciting, perhaps, is the music line-up for the night which consists of Inflagranti, Donal Dineen (DJ), Sarsparilla, The Field and The Juan Maclean (DJ). I’m quite the fan of The Juan Maclean having been listening to their album The Future Will Come quite a bit over the months between winters where summer is supposed to be. They’re signed to DFA Records so that should be about all I need to tell you about their sound, attitude and why you need to go and see them. Their glitchy, bleepy, blissful groove shares a lot in common with label-mates Hercules & Love Affair and some of LCD Soundsystem‘s extended jams. This is a great opportunity to catch the Maclean party in Dublin with plenty of other good acts and fun art so I’d recommend you buzz down. Ticket info here. As they’ll be doing a DJ set in Tripod, I’ll give you a taste with this remix The Juan Maclean did of a great song by Duchess Says last year.